On Sunday (March 1) at 8:34 p.m., Virginia State Police Trooper T.A. Hackenbracht responded to a single-vehicle crash in Nelson County. A 2019 Chevrolet Camaro, traveling on Patrick Henry Highway (Rt. 151) south of Fishertown Lane (Rt. 815), ran off the right side of the road, struck a sign and then the embankment. The impact of that crash caused the vehicle to cross back onto Route 151 and run off the left side of the road striking a pile of logs and a utility pole.
The driver, Veronica L. Jones, 58, of Lynchburg, Va, died at the scene. She was wearing a seatbelt.
Upon inspection of the scene, the Trooper found a large rock had broken the windshield and was inside the vehicle. It was concluded that the rock struck the driver and was most likely the cause of death.
Virginia State Police encourages anyone who was traveling in the area between 8:20 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Sunday and may have witnessed the crash to call (434) 352-7128 or email area18@vsp.virginia.gov.
The crash remains under investigation.
Shelby Crouch
Public Relations Coordinator
Virginia State Police”
Photo By CVEC : CVEC President and CEO, Gary Wood delivers remarks to the group in Buckingham County last week during the announcement of the 28 million dollar USDA grant. Friday – February 28, 2020
Buckingham County, Virginia
Press release verbatim from CVEC except where noted:
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC) and Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM received $28,000,000 in funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Reconnect Program. The announcement was made Friday morning by USDA Virginia State Director, Beth Green, to a group of 200 guests comprised of county officials, local and elected officials, directors, supervisors, business partners, and CVEC members and employees. CVEC and Firefly President and CEO Gary Wood remarked, “We have great partners and the folks who have spoken today at the local, state and federal level have contributed to make this announcement and grant possible. We need the partners and appreciate all they have done to help the members of CVEC.”
CVEC and Firefly applied for the 50% grant/50% loan and will use the funds to build fiber to 11 of its 30 substations. The Curdsville substation in Buckingham will be the first stop for building fiber using grants funds, followed by Cartersville, Stonewall and Kidd’s Store. Dr. Brian Bates, CVEC Director, shared, “CVEC is here to help… Eighty-three years ago, a group of local leaders got together to address a problem. The big utilities were not interested in expending the resources to put electricity in our communities. Folks banded together to form CVEC and they solved that problem. Access to high speed internet is the great economic and educational and quality of life imperative in the 21st century. The leadership of CVEC recognized this, and just like they did 83 years ago, pulled together and stepped up to the plate to provide permanent and high-speed solution for all of our members.”
In an earlier pre-release a few days prior to the event, the following counties were listed that will be impacted by this grant.
“The award will impact the following eleven counties: Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Louisa, Orange, Prince Edward.”
CVEC has committed to a $120 million plan to install over 4,500 miles of fiber-optic cable in the 14 counties it serves, providing broadband internet to all of its 37,000 members. The fiber network will use laser beams and glass fibers to move data at speeds of up to one gigabit per second, delivering world-class communications to members served in their electric territory.
The fiber-optic network will be installed on and adjacent to existing overhead and underground electric distribution lines, utilizing the existing infrastructure. The joint grant application and award is based on CVEC installing and owning the fiber-optic cable, and its wholly owned subsidiary Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM using the fiber to offer retail internet and phone services. Firefly subscribers will be able to purchase high-speed internet of 100 megabits per second at $49.99 per month or 1 gigabit per second for $79.99 per month. More information on pricing and internet packages can be found at www.fireflyva.com.
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit, electric utility serving more than 37,000 homes, farms and businesses in the rural portions of 14 Virginia counties. CVEC is proud to be a Four-Star Cooperative for Service Excellence certified by the Touchstone Energy Service Excellence Program. For more information, visit www.mycvec.com.
Headquartered in Palmyra, VA, Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. Firefly offers lightning fast internet via fiber to the premise that is reliable and priced fairly with no hidden equipment costs or price increases. Firefly has no contracts, no data caps or slowdowns and offers symmetrical upload and download speeds. Firefly Light offers 100 mbps for $49.99; Firefly Flash offers 1 gbps for $79.99; and Firefly Voice is $35.99 with a $5.00 discount when bundled with the internet. For more information, visit www.fireflyva.com.
For the very latest from NWS click on the image above.
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
220 PM EST Wed Feb 26 2020
Central and Eastern Allegany-Northern Virginia Blue Ridge– Central Virginia Blue Ridge-Eastern Mineral-
Including the cities of Cumberland, Big Meadows, Wintergreen,
Antioch, Keyser, New Creek, Ridgeville, Russelldale, Headsville,
and Fort Ashby
220 PM EST Wed Feb 26 2020
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EST THURSDAY…
* WHAT…West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph
expected.
* WHERE…In Maryland, central and eastern Allegany County. In
Virginia, the northern and central Virginia Blue Ridge. In West
Virginia, eastern Mineral County.
* WHEN…From midnight tonight to 10 AM EST Thursday.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high
profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 235 PM EST Wed Feb 26 2020
Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst–
Including the cities of Fincastle, Lexington, Buena Vista,
Stuart, Rocky Mount, Bedford, and Amherst
235 PM EST Wed Feb 26 2020
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY...
* WHAT…West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected, especially at higher elevations.
* WHERE…Botetourt, Rockbridge, Patrick, Franklin, Bedford and
Amherst Counties.
* WHEN…From 7 PM this evening to 7 PM EST Thursday.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects.
Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may
result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high
profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
The early days. Above folks enjoy the monthly pancake breakfast back in 2005 at RVCC. On February 29, 2020 the center will celebrate it’s 20th anniversary.
Afton / Greenfield
Nelson County, Virginia
On Saturday night, February 29th, Rockfish Valley Community Center in Afton will mark its 20th Anniversary with a pot-luck dinner and dance, a tribute to its founders, the launch of its new “Legacy League” endowment fund and a mortgage-burning bonfire to celebrate the retirement of the debt on the property. The family-friendly event will also feature special movies and games for kids.
The 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM event will be free to the public, thanks to generous sponsorships from Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Bold Rock Hard Cider, Wild Wolf Brewing Co. and from music sponsor Mountain Area Realty. Guests are being asked to bring a covered dish to share for the pot-luck dinner – a throwback to the many such events that supported the Center in its early days.
Personal invitations have been sent to the original organizers of RVCC from its earliest days – names gleaned from scouring the archives and from the recollections of several of the founders who are still involved with the Center. Board member Mary Cunningham, who was involved with RVCC from its earliest days, has taken charge of identifying and inviting the founders, and even hand-addressing the envelopes.
“We hope we’ve identified and invited everyone who was instrumental in growing RVCC from its infancy,” says Stu Mills, RVCC’s Executive Director, noting that some of those pioneers are now living as far away as coastal Oregon. “But if we’ve left anyone out, it wasn’t for lack of trying. We hope that everyone who was a part of the beginning here will feel welcome to return and celebrate with us, and to be part of our present and future.
” Music for the evening will be provided by the Eric Knutson band. The “Bring Your Best Dish” pot-luck food will be free, and beer, wine, cider and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.
“This will be a very special night for all of us,” Mills says, “commemorating two decades of a journey that started with a handful of dreamers determined to build community in a 60-year old abandoned school building.”
“For many of those early years, the journey was focused simply on survival – just keeping the doors open and the lights on,” he continues. “But more recently, the hard work of the Board, the staff and our incredible volunteers has allowed us to focus on sustainability – building the organizational foundation, the community support and the financial capacity to ensure that community will always have a place to happen in the Rockfish Valley.”
Nelson County and Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM (Firefly) announced the transfer of the fiber optic middle mile network previously operated by the Nelson County Broadband Authority (NCBA) to Firefly for future operation as part of the growing Firefly fiber optic network bringing reliable, affordable broadband to rural Central Virginia. The transfer serves as part of an inventive agreement that will result in more than 9,500 homes and businesses having gigabit level broadband service available to them over the next four years.
Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM, owned by the members of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC), is already leasing and operating the fiber optic network being built out by CVEC throughout its footprint touching 14 counties. As part of the transfer, Firefly agreed to extend fiber to areas beyond and adjacent to the CVEC territory reaching another 1,000 homes and businesses. These extensions will help reach 85% of all county locations within the next four years. With this partnership, Nelson County will become one of the best-connected counties in the state and in the U.S. “We are excited about the transfer of the county fiber, which will allow us to play a role in delivering true high speed broadband throughout Nelson County as we work to bridge the digital divide in all of Central Virginia,” says Gary Wood CEO of Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM.
Nelson County Administrator Steve Carter stated, “the transfer of Nelson County’s middle mile network to Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM was unanimously approved by the County’s Board of Supervisors and the members of the Nelson County Broadband Authority. The Firefly project will be the realization of the Board of Supervisors’ goal of universal access to affordable, reliable, high speed broadband service to Nelson County’s businesses and residents, which the County’s local government has worked very hard to realize. The County commends the leadership of CVEC and its Firefly subsidiary for the incredible commitment that has been made to serve Nelson County and Central VA. The Firefly project demonstrates that rural communities like Nelson County are progressive, forward thinking, and capable of achievement beyond constraints and expectations.”
A recent study from the Weldon Cooper Center showed that Nelson County has the second highest percentage of workers who telecommute for their work. The fiber network being spread across the county will enhance opportunities for remote workers as well as serve to attract new businesses to the area.
For the next few months, Firefly will continue to operate the former Nelson County fiber network under the same rules and rates as set previously by the county. Firefly intends to seek methods to lower the cost of operating the network to allow lower wholesale rates to be offered to all ISPs who provide service from the middle mile system. When Firefly is able to offer lower wholesale rates, Firefly will also sign on to be a retail provider on the network and offer the same services and pricing it offers on the CVEC fiber system. Other ISPs will also continue to provide retail services from the former Nelson County fiber network.
As part of the incentive agreement with the County, fiber has been built out from the Martin’s Store substation area in its first phase of construction. Martin’s Store is the largest substation area in the CVEC territory and its buildout will extend fiber past more than 4,500 locations. In addition, the Wintergreen area is being built out and will allow Firefly to extend availability to another 2,200 homes and businesses. Firefly is presently connecting customers in these areas and will continue through spring of this year to connect all who sign up for one of their two internet services and/or their voice over IP service: Firefly Light (100 megabits per second upload and download) for $49.99 per month; Firefly Flash (1 gigabit per second upload and download) for $79.99; and Firefly Voice for $34.99 with a $5.00 discount if bundled with an internet service.
By mid-year crews building fiber will move into the Colleen substation area, expanding service south along Route 29 and throughout Tye River to give access to more than 110 additional locations in the county. Internet service to these locations will be offered by Firefly. In future years, the fiber construction and service will be extended in Nelson County to Gladstone, Schuyler and Piney River substation areas of the CVEC territory. For information on availability or services from Firefly, visit their website www.fireflyva.com.
Headquartered in Palmyra, VA, Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. Firefly offers lightning fast internet via fiber to the premise that is reliable and priced fairly with no hidden equipment costs or price increases. Firefly has no contracts, no data caps or slowdowns and offers symmetrical upload and download speeds. Firefly Light offers 100 mbps for $49.99; Firefly Flash offers 1 gbps for $79.99; and Firefly Voice is $35.99 with a $5.00 discount when bundled with the internet. For more information, visit www.fireflyva.com.
Thanks to Dima Holmes of Wintergreen Real Estate for this beauty of a shot from atop at Wintergreen Resort on Saturday – February 8, 2020
Wintergreen Resort
Nelson County, Virginia
It’s been hard to find a lot of snow this year in the Blue Ridge but that doesn’t stop the breathtaking views that we see here year round. Dima Homes with Wintergreen Real Estate Company grabbed this shot on Saturday from up top at Wintergreen Resort. Absolutely gorgeous Dima!
Photo By Dima Holmes. Saturday – February 8, 2020
In spite of there being very little natural snow this season, the resort has been busing making snow and covering the slopes. Dima also got this nice photo on Saturday as well.
For the latest data from CVEC click on the map image above.
Arrington
Nelson County, Virginia
As of 8:25 AM Friday morning about 180 people were shown without power after strong winds and even some hail moved across the area around daybreak. That’s down from a peak of about 210 earlier.
Our BRL Facebook page (above) was busy with people commenting about the winds and hail.
PIPE FAILURE CLOSES ONE LANE ON ROUTE 6 NEAR SCOTTSVILLE
Update : Temporary repairs to the pipe on Route 6 (Irish Road) are complete and all lanes are open to traffic.
Crews are preparing to make emergency repairs
CULPEPER — Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation are on the scene of a pipe failure on Route 6 (Irish Road) near Scottsville in Albemarle County.
The failure is located between Route 626 (Langhorne Road) and Route 627 (Porters Road). VDOT is flagging traffic past the scene. Motorists should expect delays.
One lane will remain closed on Route 6 until temporary repairs are completed. Crews will return to make permanent repairs in the coming weeks.
Updates and other real-time travel information can be found on the 511 Virginia website, the free VDOT 511 mobile app or by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia. Local updates are also posted toTwitter.com/VaDOTCulp.
For the absolute latest updates from NWS click on the map image above. .
St. Marys-Calvert-Augusta-Nelson-Albemarle-Spotsylvania- King George-Central Virginia Blue Ridge- Including the cities of Lexington Park, California, Chesapeake Beach, Huntingtown, Dunkirk, North Beach, Lusby, Prince Frederick, Staunton, Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft, Lovingston, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Dahlgren, and Wintergreen 203 AM EST Fri Feb 7 2020
…FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED…
The Flood Watch for portions of southern Maryland and Virginia has been cancelled. Moderate rain is exiting, and the threat for flooding is diminishing.
FLOOD WATCH Flood Watch National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 323 PM EST Wed Feb 5 2020
District of Columbia-Southern Baltimore-Prince Georges-
Anne Arundel-Charles-St. Marys-Calvert-
Central and Southeast Montgomery-Central and Southeast Howard-
Southeast Harford-Augusta-Nelson-Albemarle-Greene-Madison-Orange-
Culpeper-Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-Fairfax-
Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-Stafford-Spotsylvania-
King George-Southern Fauquier-Central Virginia Blue Ridge–
Including the cities of Washington, Baltimore, Bowie,
Suitland-Silver Hill, Clinton, College Park, Greenbelt, Laurel,
Camp Springs, Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Severn, South Gate,
Severna Park, Arnold, Odenton, St. Charles, Waldorf,
Lexington Park, California, Chesapeake Beach, Huntingtown,
Dunkirk, North Beach, Lusby, Prince Frederick, Bethesda,
Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, Columbia, Ellicott City,
Aberdeen, Staunton, Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft, Lovingston,
Charlottesville, Stanardsville, Madison, Orange, Gordonsville,
Culpeper, Dale City, Manassas, Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, Montclair,
Reston, Herndon, Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, McLean,
Franconia, Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Falmouth,
Fredericksburg, Dahlgren, Turnbull, and Wintergreen
323 PM EST Wed Feb 5 2020
…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING…
* From Thursday afternoon through Friday morning
* Multiple rounds of rainfall will occur through early Friday. The
heaviest rainfall potential will begin Thursday afternoon and
continue into Thursday night. Storm total rainfall amounts
through Friday morning are expected to range between 2 and 3
inches.
* Flooding of poor drainage and low lying areas will be possible,
and some smaller streams and rivers may exceed their banks.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on
current forecasts.
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible
Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be
prepared to take action should flooding develop.
Flood Watch National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 256 PM EST Wed Feb 5 2020
… Flood Watch Tonight through Friday Morning…
Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-Craig-
Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-Mercer-Summers-
Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier-
Including the cities of Tazewell, Marion, Bland, Pearisburg,
Wytheville, Radford, Pulaski, Blacksburg, New Castle,
Clifton Forge, Covington, Hot Springs, Roanoke, Salem, Fincastle, Lexington, Buena Vista, Bluefield, Flat Top, Hinton, Hix, Union,
Lewisburg, White Sulphur Springs, Alderson, Quinwood, Duo,
and Rainelle
256 PM EST Wed Feb 5 2020
…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING…
The Flood Watch continues for
* Portions of Virginia and southeast West Virginia, including
the following areas, in Virginia, Alleghany VA, Bath, Bland,
Botetourt, Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke,
Rockbridge, Smyth, Tazewell, and Wythe. In southeast West
Virginia, Eastern Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe, Summers, and
Western Greenbrier.
* From midnight EST tonight through Friday morning
* An extended period of rainfall with high rainfall rates and
thunderstorms on Thursday create favorable conditions for
flooding. Rainfall totals of 2 to 3 inches are expected with
locally higher amounts possible.
* The ground will be saturated when thunderstorms are most
likely. High rainfall rates inside of these storms could
potentially create rapid water rises, especially in small
creeks and streams, areas with poor drainage, and low lying
areas.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on
current forecasts.
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible
Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be
prepared to take action should flooding develop.
Flood Watch
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
256 PM EST Wed Feb 5 2020
… Flood Watch Tonight through Friday Morning…
Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Watauga-Wilkes-
Yadkin-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-
Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell-Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-
Charlotte-
Including the cities of West Jefferson, Sparta, Dobson, Danbury,
Eden, Yanceyville, Boone, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, Independence,
Whitetop, Troutdale, Volney, Galax, Floyd, Stuart, Rocky Mount,
Bedford, Amherst, Martinsville, Danville, Lynchburg, Appomattox,
South Boston, and Keysville
256 PM EST Wed Feb 5 2020
…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING…
The Flood Watch continues for
* Portions of North Carolina and Virginia, including the
following areas, in North Carolina, Alleghany NC, Ashe,
Caswell, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, and
Yadkin. In Virginia, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Buckingham,
Campbell, Carroll, Charlotte, Floyd, Franklin, Grayson,
Halifax, Henry, Patrick, and Pittsylvania.
* From midnight EST tonight through Friday morning
* An extended period of rainfall with high rainfall rates and
thunderstorms on Thursday create favorable conditions for
flooding. Rainfall totals of 3 to 4 inches with locally higher
amounts over 5 inches possible along the Blue Ridge.
* The ground will be saturated when thunderstorms are most
likely. High rainfall rates inside of these storms could
potentially create rapid water rises, especially in small
creeks and streams, areas with poor drainage, and low lying
areas.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on
current forecasts.
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible
Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be
prepared to take action should flooding develop.
Virginia State Police Trooper T.M. Skehan is investigating a single-vehicle crash in Nelson County. The crash occurred Feb. 3, 2020 at 11:15 a.m. on Route 653, approximately 1.5 miles east of Route 29.
A 1998 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling along Route 653 when it ran off the right side of the road. The driver overcorrected, which caused the vehicle to then run off the left side of the highway and overturn several times.
The driver, Winfred L. Washington, 65, of Lovingston, Va., was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police
